# Arianna Grace
**Arianna Grace** is the ring name of Bianca Sophia Carelli (born 1997), a Canadian professional wrestler signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where she performs on the NXT brand and competes in WWE's partner promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) as a one-time TNA Knockouts World Champion[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/arianna-grace) • [2](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/arianna-grace). She is a second-generation wrestler, the daughter of former WWE Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella, whose real name is Anthony Carelli[3](https://athlonsports.com/wrestling/who-is-arianna-grace-santino-marella-daughter-keanu-carver).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Bianca Sophia Carelli, born 1997 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/arianna-grace) |
| Promotion | WWE, NXT brand; also competes in partner promotion TNA[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/arianna-grace) • [2](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/arianna-grace) |
| WWE signing | Signed March 2022 after a 2019 tryout; WWE career began early 2022[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/arianna-grace.html) • [5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1717366/wwe-nxt-arianna-grace-recalls-training-getting-derailed-covid-19-pandemic/) |
| Family | Daughter of Santino Marella (Anthony Carelli), a former WWE Intercontinental Champion[3](https://athlonsports.com/wrestling/who-is-arianna-grace-santino-marella-daughter-keanu-carver) |
| Stable | Birthright, with Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Charlie Dempsey, Lexis King, and Uriah Connors[6](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace) |
| Championships | One-time TNA Knockouts World Champion[2](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/arianna-grace) |
## Early life and family
Carelli was born in [Mississauga](https://www.edgepedia.org/mississauga), Ontario, and WWE lists her hometown as Toronto, Ontario[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/arianna-grace) • [6](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace). Her father did not become a wrestler until she was 12 years old, and she has said she felt as a child that "wrestling stole my dad" because she saw little of him during his career[7](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1715532/wwe-nxt-star-arianna-grace-opens-joining-industry-stole-dad/). She later described reaching a point where she was unhappy with her path, which had included medical school, and her father suggested she give wrestling a try after she finished school[7](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1715532/wwe-nxt-star-arianna-grace-opens-joining-industry-stole-dad/).
One database gives her birth year as 1995 rather than 1997[8](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Arianna_Grace).
## Training and signing with WWE
Grace began her wrestling training in 2018, and was still finding her footing when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020; she has said the pandemic stopped her from taking bookings as an independent wrestler just getting her start[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1717366/wwe-nxt-arianna-grace-recalls-training-getting-derailed-covid-19-pandemic/). After the state of emergency was lifted, she drove from Canada to Florida, obtained a tryout within three months, and was signed; she has described signing a two-year WWE contract after a 2019 tryout that allowed her to continue working independent dates as long as she did not sign with another major promotion[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1717366/wwe-nxt-arianna-grace-recalls-training-getting-derailed-covid-19-pandemic/). Her first WWE signing is dated March 2022[4](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/arianna-grace.html).
Her early NXT run was interrupted by a serious knee injury: in October 2022 she announced she would be out of action for ACL surgery[9](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/bianca-carelli/), and an account of her career says the injury kept her out of the ring for nearly a year[3](https://athlonsports.com/wrestling/who-is-arianna-grace-santino-marella-daughter-keanu-carver).
## NXT character and career
WWE presents Grace as the brand's resident beauty queen, on a mission to redefine what it means to be both beautiful and fierce in NXT, with a sharp tongue that has earned her rivals[6](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace). Her early matches included the first round of the women's breakout tournament, where [Nikkita Lyons](https://www.edgepedia.org/nikkita-lyons) eliminated her in May 2022[9](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/bianca-carelli/). After returning from the knee injury, she reached the semi-finals of the 2023 breakout tournament, losing to [Kelani Jordan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kelani-jordan) at Halloween Havoc Night 1 on October 24, 2023[9](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/bianca-carelli/).
Commentary on her work has emphasized character and comedy. A 2024 profile described her as a natural at playing a wrestling character and talking on the mic, while still developing as an in-ring performer, and compared her comedic potential to characters like R-Truth and her father[10](https://dropkickmedia.wordpress.com/2024/04/28/arianna-grace-becoming-miss-nxt/).
## Birthright and the TNA partnership
Grace has been successful as NXT's liaison to TNA during the brand partnership between the two companies[6](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace). Through that role she appeared regularly on TNA programming, including segments alongside her father, who works for TNA[5](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1717366/wwe-nxt-arianna-grace-recalls-training-getting-derailed-covid-19-pandemic/) • [9](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/bianca-carelli/).
She is a member of Birthright, a group of second-generation Superstars that also includes her beau Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, Charlie Dempsey, Lexis King, and [Uriah Connors](https://www.edgepedia.org/brogan-finlay), whose stated goal is reclaiming what they believe is theirs[6](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace).
In TNA she won the Knockouts World Championship, becoming a one-time TNA Knockouts World Champion[2](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/arianna-grace). Her title reign included a defense against Léi Yǐng Lee at No Surrender on February 13, 2026, which databases record as her best TNA win in the preceding year[11](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/impact/1987/arianna-grace/).
Back in WWE, Grace won the tournament to earn a [WWE Women's Speed Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/wwe-womens-speed-championship) match, defeating [Izzi Dame](https://www.edgepedia.org/izzi-dame) in the finals on the June 23, 2026 episode of NXT[12](https://www.wrestlingmoments.com/content/arianna-grace-is-way-too-good-for-wwes-five-minute-microwave-belt/). At Great American Bash 2026 she challenged champion [Wren Sinclair](https://www.edgepedia.org/wren-sinclair) in a five-minute Speed match and lost by tapout to Sinclair's Final Wrench submission with 14 seconds remaining on the clock[12](https://www.wrestlingmoments.com/content/arianna-grace-is-way-too-good-for-wwes-five-minute-microwave-belt/).
## References
1. [Arianna Grace: Profile, Career Stats, Titles & Gimmicks, Pro Wrestlers Database (The SmackDown Hotel)](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/arianna-grace)
2. [Arianna Grace – NXT Wrestler, Pro Wrestling Archive](https://wrestling.pro/en/performers/arianna-grace)
3. [Who Is Arianna Grace? Santino Marella's Daughter & WWE NXT Star, Athlon Sports](https://athlonsports.com/wrestling/who-is-arianna-grace-santino-marella-daughter-keanu-carver)
4. [Arianna Grace, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/arianna-grace.html)
5. [WWE NXT's Arianna Grace Recalls Her Training Getting Derailed By COVID-19 Pandemic, Wrestling Inc.](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1717366/wwe-nxt-arianna-grace-recalls-training-getting-derailed-covid-19-pandemic/)
6. [Arianna Grace, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/arianna-grace)
7. [WWE NXT Star Arianna Grace Opens Up About Joining The Industry That 'Stole' Her Dad, Wrestling Inc.](https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1715532/wwe-nxt-star-arianna-grace-opens-joining-industry-stole-dad/)
8. [Arianna Grace, Pro Wrestling Fandom](https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/Arianna_Grace)
9. [Arianna Grace, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/bianca-carelli/)
10. [Arianna Grace: Becoming Miss NXT, Dropkick Media](https://dropkickmedia.wordpress.com/2024/04/28/arianna-grace-becoming-miss-nxt/)
11. [Arianna Grace, TNA Wrestling profile](https://d1ppoy4pjmghru.cloudfront.net/wrestlers/impact/1987/arianna-grace/)
12. [Arianna Grace is way too good for WWE's five-minute microwave belt, Wrestling Moments](https://www.wrestlingmoments.com/content/arianna-grace-is-way-too-good-for-wwes-five-minute-microwave-belt/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables › Canadian wrestlers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license